A Year
by xana4
Summary: A piece of Densi for everybody, every month...because Deeks and Kensi are my sport!
1. January

**JANUARY**

Marty Deeks is a true Californian boy.

He likes the beach, the sun on his face, the warm weather that make sit okay to spend the day outdoors and the light blue sky.

He doesn't like the cold weather and he's pretty sure that's not going to change anytime soon. However, that doesn't mean he can't make the most out of the cold weather felt outside.

Kensi is not from California.

She knows how to deal with this. She doesn't leave the house without a warm jacket and a good shirt to block the cold.

But she can't wear her own clothes while undercover.

It comes a day when Hetty makes her wear one of those dresses that leave little to the imagination, a cold January day.

It's a black tight dress that ends just two inches above her knee and with two tiny straps on her shoulders.

Kensi begs Hetty to allow her to wear a jacket or boots but Hetty reasons that the suspect needs to see some skin.

Deeks has to admit that he can't even enjoy his partner's hotness when she seems to be freezing. He takes pity on her and turns on the heat on the way to the bar where she's supposed to meet the guy, even though it makes him sweat. She sends him a small thankful smile and that's all he needs to forget about it.

As soon as she walks inside the bar, he turns off the heat because he can't stand it anymore.

Then the suspect decides to go for a walk on the beach and Deeks has the feeling Kensi's going to have a nasty cold tomorrow.

As soon as the operation is over, he hands her his jacket and she allows him to gather her in his arms to warm her up.

Callen tells him to drive her home before she gets sick and he hurries her to the car. He doesn't really drive her home but she doesn't complain when he parks outside his own house.

He hurries her inside and turns on the heat but she's still cold.

"Go and have a warm shower before you get a cold."

"I don't have any clothes to change to."

"Don't worry about that. I'll find something for you to put on. Now go! I don't want my partner to be sick tomorrow."

Kensi doesn't argue with him and walks to the bathroom.

He notices she doesn't lock the door and it makes him smile. She trusts him enough for that.

Deeks goes to his bedroom and looks for something she can wear. He grabs his warmest sweater, a pair of pajama pants he never wears and a pair of slippers. He knocks on the bathroom door when the water stops running.

"Are you decent in there?"

"Yes, you can come in."

He hears the small smile on her voice and opens the door.

She's wrapped in one of his towels and he's pretty sure he'll never be able to take this image out of his head.

And he knows he'll never be able to erase her sweet scent out of that towel, not that he minds.

In fact, he considers never washing it again but that would probably be a little creepy.

He hands her the clothes and leaves her alone to change.

He goes to the kitchen and makes them both some hot chocolate. When she gets out of the bathroom, he hands her the steaming drink and guides her to his living room. She sits on the couch and he does the same, noticing that her wet hair is tied up in a ponytail.

Deeks scoots closer to her and Kensi offers him a small smile when he takes off the elastic holding it together.

"I like your curls."

She curls to his side and lays her head on his shoulders in a rare gesture of what can only be described as sweetness. "I smell like you."

Deeks wraps an arm around her to keep her close and lets out a small laugh. "Yeah, you do. I prefer your shampoo, though."

Kensi frowns but doesn't lift her head from its comfortable place. "You know what it smells like?"

"Of course I do. It smells like peaches. Are you warm?"

Kensi snuggles closer to him and takes a sip of her drink. "Yeah, I am. Thank you for doing this."

He kisses the top of her head and she doesn't yell at him for doing so. "You're my partner and my friend. I don't want you to get sick."

She finally lifts her head from his shoulder after a few seconds of comfortable silence and smiles at him. "I have to go home."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the night? I can take the couch…"

Kensi kisses his cheek in a 'thank you' manner and gets up from the couch. "No, I'll go home. But thank you, anyway. Good night, Deeks."

She grabs her clothes and leaves after hearing his goodbye too. "Good night, Kensi."

She hands him his pants and sweater the day after and a bag with the slippers. He takes it but hands her the sweater. "Keep it. It's too warm for me."

No one bats an eye when they see that because they all know he took good care of her last night. She wouldn't be working today if he hadn't. She would be in bed with a nasty cold or something even worse.

Callen and Sam know that he cares about her and that's why they both trusted him enough to allow him to be the one to take her home the night before.

She takes it with a small smile and kisses his cheek when she's sure no one is watching them to witness such a gesture of affection. His stomach does a flip-flop when his brain realizes this is the second time she kissed him in less than 24 hours. It's just on the cheek but it still counts.

And that's the story of how Marty Deeks learned to enjoy the wonders of the cold-weather.

**X**

**X**

**My new challenge…**

**My brother said: "I bet you can't write a chapter related to each month of the year for Densi and post it during that same month."**

**Here we are. Dear brother, you're going to lose and I'm going to enjoy it.**

**Readers, like it, hate it, love it…Let me know in a review.**

**Next chapter will be up in February.**

**Sarah**


	2. February

_**AN: Dear readers, it's February so here's your chapter. Your thoughts about it are highly appreciated. Dear Twin, I know you'll read this just to make sure I'm actually fulfilling my bet so screw you. You'll be washing my car for months! I'm winning!**_

**February**

It's just another February day. The temperature outside is a good mixture between the usual heat and the coolness that comes with the winter.

Kensi Marie Bly parks her car outside her partner's apartment and waits for him to get out. Her patience starts wearing thin a minute later and she grabs her phone to call him and rush him but he finally shows up, that infuriating grin on his face and his sunglasses on.

Deeks gets in the car without as much as an apology, like as if what he's doing is nothing wrong.

She considers telling him that he can drive his own car to work from now on because she has had enough with picking him up but decides against it. She's simply not in the mood to have that conversation with him. She's more than happy with driving to work in silence.

However, Deeks is not the kind of guy who simply stays in silence for more than just a few seconds.

"Are you okay?"

She shrugs, deciding not to think about how he managed to figure out something is wrong with her after just two minutes.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

She can see him shrug too and take a sip of his coffee.

"You seem upset."

It's not a question or an accusation. It's a simple statement that holds no judgment. That's probably why she decides to tell him the reason behind her bad mood.

"Do you know what day is today?"

She stops at a red-light and sees him frown at her question, confusion etched on his features.

"Of course I know. Today is Tuesday."

She starts driving again when the light turns green and sighs, suddenly afraid that he will mock her for this.

"It's Valentine's day."

Deeks takes a few seconds to answer but what she hears in his voice is not exactly a mocking tone. It's more of a surprised one.

"I never pegged you for the kind of girl who gets upset because she doesn't have a date on Valentine's Day. In fact, I never thought you wouldn't have a date for Valentine's Day."

She would have slapped him if she wasn't driving. "That's not why I'm upset."

He shrugs once again and takes another sip of his coffee. "Then what's the problem?"

And she actually tells him, knowing there's no backing away from this stupid idea of opening up to him now. "If I don't go out tonight I'll get seriously depressed because of all the crappy shows on TV."

"Then go out."

He says it like as if it is the simplest thing on Earth and that attitude makes her jealous sometimes (not that she would ever dare to admit such an atrocious thing out loud). "I can't go out because men seem me in a bar alone tonight and they automatically assume I'm desperate. There's not getting them off my back."

She's afraid of what will come out of his mouth when he opens it to answer her. "Ask a friend to go with you to chase the bad guys away…"

It surprises her she didn't think about that one before. Since when did he become the logical one? "That's actually a good idea."

His next words surprise her once again. "I'm available, if you want to."

Kensi parks on her spot, near the OPS center and turns to him. "You don't have a hot date planned for tonight?"

Deeks shrugs and takes his seatbelt off so he can face her properly too. "I couldn't care less about Valentine's Day. It's just another day for me. The only difference is that you find yourself suddenly surrounded by flowers, teddy bear and chocolate. And don't even get me started on those incredible inaccurate hearts spread all over. It's cheesy and unnecessary, if you ask me."

Kensi can't help but smile at this, despite her best efforts. "And you don't mind doing this for me?"

Deeks shrugs and smirks. "You're my partner and my friend. It will be my pleasure to chase those guys away from you tonight."

And when she leans in and kisses him on the cheek, he knows he's doing the right thing.

X

X

Later that night, they're walking into a bar together.

He was the one who picked it because he knows for a fact she usually goes to bars with very loud music and, taking the risk of sounding like an old man, he wants to be able to hear his own damn thoughts tonight. More than that, he wants to be able to talk to Kensi.

He guides her in with a hand on the small of her back. He has to admit that she looks stunning.

Her hair is down on its natural curls, she's barely wearing any make up, her jeans hug her in all the right places and her shirt is like a second skin. He's sure all the men who see her come in are jealous of him right now. That thought alone makes him smile like someone who just won the lottery. And maybe he did. Because he can never remember being this lucky before.

Deeks points in the direction of the bar before talking. "I'm going to get us two beers while you find a table."

Kensi smiles at him. "Thank you."

She walks to the tables and sits down on an empty one, away from the center of the bar. It's in a corner so they have more privacy and that will allow them to talk.

Kensi sits down and waits for him to arrive with their beers. For some reason, she could picture them in a date, just like this. But those thoughts are dangerous. She can't think about her partner like that. She must remain Kensi, the friend.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a guy who walks up to her, out of nowhere. He's tall, dark hair and dark eyes. Sure, he's handsome but she has a thing for blondes now, for some reason she'd rather not think about.

He leans in to talk to her without actually sitting down and for that she's grateful. His cologne is way too strong and she can't imagine being by his side without getting seriously nauseous.

"It always pains my heart whenever I see such a beautiful girl all alone on a bar on Valentine's Day."

She opens her mouth to answer him but doesn't have the chance to do so. She sees Deeks patting the guys shoulder and putting his scariest face on.

"Dude, if you don't get the hell away from my girlfriend, your heart won't be the only body part in pain."

Kensi resists the urge to laugh when the guy walks away without another word. Deeks sits across from her and hands her the beer, a grin on his face.

"You have a great timing."

Deeks takes a sip from his beer and shrugs before answering her. "Just one of the many loveable things I have in me."

She shakes her head, unable to fight the smile that makes its way to her face. "You'll have a bruise in no time if you don't stop being cocky."

He shrugs once again. "I'm not scared of you."

Kensi knows that is true but, for some reason, that doesn't bother her like it used to. "You used to be."

And when he speaks, he's being completely serious. "That was before I grew close to you."

Kensi sighs and nods. "Look, I'll deny I said this until the end of my days if you dare to share it with anyone but I actually love having you as my partner."

Deeks looks suspicious. "How drunk are you?"

Kensi laughs and shows him her beer. "I haven't even finished my beer yet."

Deeks grins and takes her hand in his. "Then thank you. You're the best partner I've ever had, by far. And I'll deny I said that until the end of my days too."

And just like that, both sitting together on a bar on Valentine's Day, they realize something is shifting. Their partnership is not what it used to be. It's becoming something else.

And the funny thing is that it doesn't scare them…not even a bit.

It's only on the end of the night that both agents realize that was the best Valentine's Day they've ever had. That leads them to the inevitable conclusion that maybe Ray was right about their thing-

And that can only mean one thing: they're screwed!

**X**

**X**

**Next chapter will be up in March but you might receive a PM with what it will be about if you give me some love.**

**Sarah**


	3. March

**AN: Here it is. It's been three months since the beginning of this bet and so far I think I'm doing well. My twin is so going to lose this bet…I hope you enjoy it.  
>;-)<strong>

They say March is the month of expectation.

Marty Deeks believes in that as much as he believes that a flying pig will fly through his window one morning and dissolve into fried bacon right before his very eyes.

March is just another month. It's the third month of the year and, for some reason, the weather is either too cold for his taste or just right. There's no mid-term there.

However, what he didn't know that morning, was that March was about to become very special. It was about to become the month of expectation, indeed.

Kensi finishes reading her newspaper and hands it to him with a small mischievous smile on her face. "Do you want the newspaper?"

Deeks already knows his partner well enough that she's planning something. So, frowning, he shakes his head. "I don't like to read it and you know it."

Kensi doesn't give up, though, and drops the newspaper on top of his desk before walking to her own. "I think you should make an exception today…"

He throws the newspaper back at her, sensing some sort of trick there. "What are you up to?"

His partner doesn't drop the newspaper. She just holds it in her hands. That mischievous glint on her eyes is starting to make him even more curious. "I'm not up to anything. I just think you should read the newspaper."

He gives up, just like she knew he would. Curiosity gets the best of him. "Okay, I'll play along. Give it to me."

After a few minutes flipping through the pages of it, he gets enough of her staring and breaks. "Is there any particular section I should be looking into?"

She seems rather pleased that he finally gave up and asked her that. "I would take a look at the movies section, if I were you."

It only takes him a second to realize what she wants him to see. It's the schedule from the movie-theatre he usually goes to. And he can't contain his excitement when he sees what movies are going to be there. "It's the movie I've been dying to see. Contraband has got to be an awesome movie."

Kensi smiles at him and nods, obviously quite proud of herself. "I know. You've only mentioned it like ten times during the past two days."

And he can't resist her, not when she's being this sweet with him, something that is not like her at all. "What do you say, partner? Are you up for a night out on the movies?"

He thinks he may have pushed it a bit too far with that one but she just smiles. "That depends. Are you buying dinner first?"

This is too good to be true. "Can I pick you up at seven?"

"I have to shower and changes clothes. Make it seven thirty and we have a deal."

He can't really keep the next words to himself. "It's a date, then."

And she doesn't get to say anything else because the guys walk in and they know better than to talk about this in front of them.

**X**

It's already past midnight when he parks in front of her house. They both have big smiles on their faces and he's the first one to state the obvious. "That movie was awesome."

Kensi turns to him and nods. "I know. I have to admit that you have a great taste when it comes to pick movies."

He shrugs and that big grin appears on his face. "I have great taste when it comes to everything."

She laughs and shakes her head. "I'm sure you do…"

It's good to see her this carefree. "I bet everyone at the movie theatre thought the same."

Kensi shakes her head once again, a big smile on her face that reaches her eyes. "Deeks, just because you buy chocolates and gummy bears instead of popcorns that doesn't mean you have a good taste."

He nods, the grin never leaving his featured. "I was talking about my date, actually. I bet every man there was jealous of me."

He swears he can see a faint blush appearing on her cheeks but it's dark and he can't really tell. And she is a master when it comes to disguise something she doesn't want anyone to see. She just shakes her head. "You're an idiot."

And, even though he's sure it might be a bit too risky, he still answers her. "Yes, but you like me anyway."

Kensi punches his shoulder playfully. "I tolerate you. Would you like to come in?"

Deeks leans in closer to her and whispers, just to mess with her. "You do know that's what women say after a good date when they want something more, right?"

She pushes him away and laughs. "I didn't mean it like that and you know it."

He laughs along with her but ends up answering her question. "I have to go, Fern. The waves are going to be awesome tomorrow morning and I plan to be there at sunrise. You could tag along. I would make an Emma out of you in no time."

Kensi frowns, confused with his words. "An Emma?"

That's what happens when you use surf lingo while talking to someone who has no idea of what you're talking about. But it's still cute and he did it on purpose. "An Emma is a hot surfer chick. You'd become one in no time with my amazing self as your teacher."

Kensi shakes her head, obviously ignoring the 'hot'. "Thank you but I think I'll pass."

Kensi afraid of something? Not, it can't be. "Why is that?"

She shrugs and gets out of the car. "Surf is not my thing. But you go and have fun, as always."

A thought suddenly hits him and he comes out of the car too. "Hey, do I get a second date?"

Kensi seems unsure. "Deeks…"

He doesn't give her a chance to finish her sentence, though. He walks to her and stands in front of her. "Yeah, I know this started out as a joke but…Come on, Kensi. You know as well as I do that this was a date. And I also know you don't do second dates. But I know you. I know that Kensi you show men on the second date and, quite honestly, I kind of like her. You're afraid of getting hurt and I get that. But this is me, not some random guy you met in a bar. You trust me every single day at work. Then trust me with this one too. Come on a second date with me."

She looks down for a few seconds and he allows her to do so. He can be patient and he has the feeling this is one of those times he needs to be patient with her. Then, she lifts her head and looks him in the eye. "We take things slow."

"Is that a question?"

She grabs his hand and holds it, needing him to reassure her. "It's a request. The only way I can handle this is if we take things slow."

Deeks smiles and gathers her in his arms. "We'll go as slow as you want to. I'll see you tomorrow, Kensi."

When they pull back from the embrace, he kisses her forehead and she smiles sweetly at him.

"See you tomorrow, Marty."

**X**

**Review if you want a preview**

**Love,**

**Sarah**


	4. April

**AN: Another month, another chapter…I know you would like to read more chapters more often but a bet is a bet and I will fulfill it. One chapter per month is the deal. Besides, that's what makes this story different. April is kind of a turning point for them and you will be seeing a lot more Densi from now on. Twin, I said it before and I'll say it again. You're going down, bro!**

**April**

Hetty is a woman of many mysteries.

Callen might be the one who dictates the orders when they have a new case, but Hetty has the ultimate word in everything they do.

Her mind works in a way they can't quite comprehend but the team is already used to it.

However, there's a side of her they don't know that well. To tell the truth, there are probably a lot of things they don't know about her because the woman always manages to surprise them somehow. But this hidden talent of hers is something they don't even dream of.

She's an incredible matchmaker.

She's not the kind of person who sees two people and decides that they should be together.

No, the way she operates is much more subtle. She sees two people who are clearly in love and gives them a little nudge in the right direction.

When she hired Marty Deeks, she never would have imagined that his relationship with Kensi would go beyond a simple partnership.

Kensi has many issues when it comes to trust, commitment and relationships. But Deeks turned everything around. He made Kensi trust again. Even better than that, he made her overcome many issues she had. Hetty noticed she has been taking a lot less unnecessary risks lately and she can only wonder if that's because of Deeks. Something tells her that he brings out the best in the female agent.

And the good thing is that Kensi seems to bring out the best in him too.

She has been watching them. She decided to give them some time, trusting that they would eventually see what was right in front of them and act upon their feelings.

But her patience is starting to run a bit thin.

For two agents who are used to pick up lies a mile away, to see everything, they are being surprisingly thick when it comes to their 'thing'.

Don't they know about the bets?

It all started with Eric and Nell, as far as she knows. Eric said they would be together in less than six months. Nell said they would be together in a year. They put money on it and before they knew it, there were 13 people putting their money on the table. Sam and Callen were amongst those people.

Hetty preferred not to engage into silly competitions. Instead, she decided that it was time to act and do something about their obliviousness.

That's why she's thrilled to find out someone has to go undercover to determinate if there is indeed someone trying to steal classified information or if this murdered was just random. And she knows exactly how to play this game.

She enters the bullpen, where the team is discussing the best approach, and draws all the attention to her by clearing her throat.

"Miss Blye and Mister Deeks will go undercover as a couple. They will get into the nightclub and keep their eyes wide open. Our guy already thinks they have access to classified information so this should be easy. If our man approaches them, we will act. Is that okay with you, Mister Callen?"

Callen nods, much to Hetty's delight, and turns to Kensi and Deeks. "Hetty is right. This will be the best approach. Go get ready. Kensi, wear something provocative. We want him to notice you guys as soon as possible."

Kensi follows Hetty out of the room and the older woman hides the satisfied smile of victory. Her plan is working, so far. Now, they just have to see what's right in front of their eyes.

Once in the club, Kensi and Deeks play their roles as well as everyone knew they would.

They don't bat an eye when Deeks strokes her thigh. They don't say a word when Kensi dances with him in a way that seems less like dancing and a lot more like something that should be done in private. They don't even make a single comment when Deeks gropes her ass. They're doing their job. They're pretending to be a couple and they're acting like a young couple would in a nightclub. And it's working.

By the end of the night, the man is behind bars and their job is done. However, many suspicions are brought to live. Was it just a job? Because the way they acted revealed a lot more intimacy than usual.

Even Hetty is shocked with what she saw. She didn't see this one coming, that's for sure. But the way Deeks touched Kensi, the way she smiled at him, and the looks they shared…that was more than just playing a part.

That was more than just getting the job done and over with.

Some say there's a very thin line between pretending and being. But Hetty knows what she saw today. She saw two people in love and not two people just doing their jobs.

Kensi and Callen had acted as a couple many times before Deeks came along. The touches and looks between them seemed real too but in a different way. Callen touched her and it revealed a lot of intimacy but the kind of intimacy that is gained after years of working together, after years of being close friends. That's not the way it was with Deeks tonight.

There was something very different in their eyes, something that went way beyond a friendship.

Maybe they didn't need a nudge after all. Maybe they're doing just fine on their own.

When Kensi gets home that night, her feet hurt so much that the only thing she can do is sit on the couch and take her shoes off. Deeks joins her after a few seconds, handing her a beer and starting to drink his own.

The silence between them is comfortable but he ends up breaking it. "Do you think Hetty knows?"

Kensi shrugs, her eyes closed and her head resting against his shoulder. "Does it matter?"

Deeks kisses the top of her head and wraps his arm around her to bring her even closer to his body. "No, it doesn't."

And they just sit there, holding each other. Because, right now, nothing matters outside the house. Nothing matters but them.

**Review if you want a preview of next month's chapters.  
>Love,<br>Sarah**


	5. May

**AN: Thank you for the reminders of my readers who wanted me to update this story. Seeing as it's so late, I decided to give you something worth reading. Attention, if you're offended by M-rated content do not read the last section of this chapter. It has nothing too graphic or explicit but I've been warned that some readers might not want to read it. Read at your own risk. Dear twin, I bet you'll think twice before you make another bet like this one with me. Enjoy ;-)**

**May**

Kensi stops her car outside Deeks house and he walks to it right away. He doesn't waste time and gets inside. Kensi greets him with a smile on her face. "Good morning, partner."

Deeks leans in and pecks her lips before settling on the seat and putting the seatbelt on. "You're late!"

Kensi starts driving to work, watching him through the corner of her eye and noticing something's off with him this morning. "I had to take care of something on my way here. Are those donuts?"

Deeks nods with a small smile, not nearly as big as the one he usually wears, and hands her one. "I bought them this morning when I went for a walk with Monty."

Normally, he wouldn't advise anyone to eat and drive at the same time but Kensi already has that down as an art by now so it's fine. After a few seconds in silence, she speaks. "Your phone is vibrating."

Deeks takes his phone off his pocket, shaking his head. "You're like Hetty, sometimes. You hear everything!"

Through the corner of her eye, she sees him texting someone and can't help but pry. "Is everything okay?"

He nods, the smile still too small for her liking. "Yeah, it's just a text from a friend."

Deciding that her partner/boyfriend needs some cheering up, she tries to start their usual banter. "I didn't know you had friends who woke up before noon…"

And Deeks plays along, a part of him aware of what she's doing and not really caring. "I'll have you know that surfers are capable of waking up extremely early to surf before the beach gets too crowded."

"So you're the only one who's lazy, then?"

Deeks takes a bite out of his donut and shrugs. "I'm not nearly as lazy as you are so I'm good."

"I'm going to let that one slide."

And it's only when he lets that go that easily that she realizes something is definitely not right with him this morning. "Do as you wish, Fern."

A few more seconds of silence go by and she ends up breaking it once again. "Your phone vibrated again."

Deeks grabs it once again but his answer is not as playful as she would expect. "It's in my pocket. I can feel it, just so you know."

Kensi nods and for the rest of the trip, keeps her eyes trained on the road and her mouth shut. "I'm not saying another word."

**X**

He spent the entire day acting weird but she let it slide. However, now that she's getting ready to go home, she needs to talk to him. Kensi is not in the mood for another silence treatment while in the car. "Are you okay?"

Deeks nods and gives her a small smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking…"

Kensi sits on Sam's chair to be closer to him and tries again. "You've been acting weird all day."

He shakes his head but doesn't say much more. "It's nothing, Kenz. Don't worry about it. Are you done?"

"Yes but I don't feel like going home yet."

It surprises her when he seems to snap out of his bad mood but she is more than happy with that change. "We can grab a beer if you want to."

So she nods with a smile and they both walk out of the bullpen together. "That sounds great. Let's go."

**X**

It's only when they're about to walk inside the bar she chose that she becomes unsure about her plans and stops him by grabbing his arm. "Wait just a second, please."

Deeks frowns, a bit worried with her reaction but trying to lighten up the mood at the same time. "Don't you want to go in? I don't think they sell beer on the middle of the street…"

And she breaks because keeping a secret from her partner all day and seeing how much that brought him down was starting to slowly kill her. "I know what day today is."

Deeks doesn't even have to ask what she's talking about. "How do you know that? Wait, don't answer that."

Of course, she knows everything. Kensi, however, seems to ignore his question and keeps rambling. "So I wanted to surprise you but, out of all your contacts I had no idea of who are your real friends, the ones who know your real name and the ones who know what you really do for a living so…You'll have to settle for this."

She takes a deep breath that only further confuses him and pushes the door of the bar. He follows her and as soon as he's inside…

"Happy Birthday!"

Callen, Sam, Eric, Nell and Hetty are there. The small bar is decorated with birthday things, there's a cake with sugar-gun on top of it, birthday-hats and even plenty of snacks.

Sam walks to him and pats him on the back to try to bring him out of his daze. "I'm sorry we didn't wish it earlier but Kensi made us do it. She said the surprise would be bigger if you thought we didn't know it was your birthday."

Deeks turns to his partner, feeling awful about the way he treated her today. "Thank you, Kensi."

The way he says it shows so much sincerity that she almost kisses him right there. But they're still surrounded by their co-workers, who have no idea of what's going on between them. "You're my partner. Did you really think I would forget your birthday?"

He gives her a sideways hug and Callen steps in to hand them both glasses. "Let's drink, people!"

**X**

He lands on the couch as soon as they walk inside her house and she sits next to him, taking her shows off in the process. "Did you have fun?"

Deeks looks at her with a big smile on his face and his eyes shining with happiness. "It was the best birthday party ever."

Kensi sits as close to him as possible and rests her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you had fun."

Deeks doesn't answer her but connects their lips. What's meant to be a soft kiss to thank her for everything and to show her how much this meant to him, turns into a full make out session. She deepens the kiss, opening her mouth to welcome his tongue and wraps one arm around his neck. But, soon, that's not enough and she straddles his lap, trying to pull him as close as possible. That's when he pulls back, breathless.

"This doesn't qualify as going slow."

Kensi starts unbuttoning his shirt, slowly, her eyes clouded with lust. "We've been dating for a month. I want you, Marty!"

Deeks stops her by grabbing her hands and looks her in the eye. His eyes are darker too but he still tries to slow them down. "I want you too, trust me. But I want to take things slow with you and if I make love to you tonight there will be no more slow."

He lets go of her hands but she's not convinced yet. "We can take a break on the slow thing."

Deeks shakes his head, knowing that if she keeps pushing he will end up giving up and that can't happen yet. They have to go slow for a good reason. "That's not going to happen. And there's no need to pout because I have some serious self-control. For example, we've already slept on the same bed twice and I kept my hands on your waist and arms only."

But Kensi knows how to make him melt and presses herself down on his lap, feeling his hard member even through his jeans. She leans in and whispers in his ear, making him shudder. "I need you, Marty…"

It's only when she starts rocking her hips against him that he has to grab her thighs to stop her movements. "Oh God, please stop!"

When he opens his eyes, the smirk on her face nearly does it for him. "I thought you had some serious self-control…"

He nods, not letting go of her thighs now that he knows how dangerous they can be. "Yeah, but I'm not made of stone!"

Kensi sighs but he knows she's not going to go down without a fight. "Okay, we can reach a compromise."

That grabs his attention. "What kind of compromise?"

The smirk on her face tells him she has something good for both of them in mind. "There are other ways to achieve states of pleasure. Second-base?"

She doesn't give him any time to answer her (not that he would stop her) and her hands make their way beneath his boxers to grab his length.

Deeks squeezes her thighs, his eyes closing and his head falling back with the feeling of her hands on him. "Slow, princess…"

Kensi kisses the sweet-spot on his neck, her hand still beneath his clothes and breathes in his ear. "The only way we can go slower than second-base is doing nothing and I'm not interested in that option."

He shakes his head and helps her pull his jeans down. "I mean go slow on me. I'm on a bit of a hair-trigger here."

Kensi gives him a kiss that leaves him breathless and aching for more before answering him. "Don't worry. I'll go slow, birthday boy!"

His mind shuts down when she wraps her hand around him once again and the last coherent thought he can come up with is that this is, without a doubt, the best birthday EVER!

**AN: Review if you want a preview of next month's chapter.  
>Love,<br>Sarah  
><strong>_**BTW, to me, second-base involves hands only. **_


	6. June

**June**

Hetty watches the interaction between her three male agents from her office. She has to admit that there's not a single dull day when those agents get into any kind of argument and it's even better when Kensi is involved.

They're a good team and the bickering is what makes their bound unique. This particular conversation has been going on for close to ten minutes now, ever since the blonde detective arrived surprisingly early.

Sam seems to be trying to stay out of it so the dialog is between Deeks and Callen.

Callen shakes his head. "Kensi is not going to fall for that."

The pleading face on Deeks face reminds everyone of a kid who has just been denied his favorite candy. "Would it kill you to give it a try?"

Callen shrugs and keeps reading his newspaper. "I'm just saying…Kensi is a born operator."

Deeks frowns. Sometimes, they seem to forget there are conversations he didn't witness. Therefore, while she knows exactly what Callen is referring too as does Sam, Deeks is completely clueless. "What does that even mean?"

Sam takes that as his cue to jump into the conversation. "It means she can smell bullshit a mile away."

It's not a very long explanation of the whole 'born-operator' thing but it will do for now. Deeks seems satisfied with the answer. "Look, I'm simply trying to do for her what she did for me."

Callen doesn't back down, though. "She won't fall for that."

Sam shakes his head, amusement all over his face. "Jesus, you're like that creepy guy who goes around telling children there is no Santa."

Deeks plays along and fakes shock. "What are you talking about? Who brought me my presents last Christmas?"

Before anyone can say anything else, Kensi walks in with a big smile on her face and greets them. "Good morning, guys."

They do as Deeks asked them to do and simply greet her back. "Good morning, Kensi."

After a few minutes, she looks at them with a suspicious look on her face. Callen avoids eye-contact and disguises that by keeping his eyes trained on the newspaper. Sam is focused on something on his computer and Deeks is doing…well, she's not sure of what he's doing but he's doing something.

It doesn't come as much of a shock for Callen and Sam when she breaks the silence. And, truth to be told, Deeks is not that surprised either. "Don't even think about it."

The pointed look she sends to all of them should be a clear indication they should give up but Deeks stills tries. No one can say he's a quitter. "What is that we can't even think about, partner?"

She looks pretty proud of herself, a smile adorning her features. "I know what you're trying to do and it is not going to work."

Callen and Sam stay out of this conversation but keep listening to it. It's not like they have much choice because they're sitting right next to the two partners and because they never bother keeping their tone low. Besides, they're quite curious to see how this is going to end. Hell, even Hetty is curious about this one. "What are we trying to do?"

"You're pretending you don't remember it's my birthday so you can surprise me with some party or dinner later tonight."

Callen puts the newspaper down with a grin on his face as Sam gets up. "I told you she wouldn't fall for it."

Sam gathers Kensi in his arms for a small hug. "Happy birthday, Kensi."

Callen pulls her in as soon as the other man lets go of her. Kensi has always been the closest thing he's ever had to a sister and Hetty always admired their relationship. "Happy birthday, little sister."

Kensi turns to Deeks with a smirk on her face. "Don't pout. It doesn't look as cute as you think."

He gets up and stands in front of her, not touching her or giving any signs of happiness. "I wanted to surprise you."

She shrugs. "I hate surprises, anyway."

Deeks, knowing that he must keep things at a professional level, pulls her in for a hug too, even though all he wants to do is kiss her senseless. "Happy birthday, partner."

She kisses his cheek. "Thank you, Deeks."

The day goes on like any other day. They agree to meet at Kensi's favorite restaurant for dinner and Deeks drives to her house after he stops by his place to shower and change. They don't go together because they came in at different hours today. They sleep in their respective houses because he wanted to come in earlier to talk to the guys.

He waits for her in the living room while she showers because she claims she can't go out without showering. It's only when she sits on the couch next to him, already dressed and with her hair still wet, that he finally kisses her like he's been wanting to ever since that morning. They only pull back when the need for air becomes too much and the sweet smile on her face warms his heart.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

Kensi frowns, the smile still not leaving her face. "Where did that come from?"

He shrugs and strokes her damp wavy hair. "Now that we're not pretending we don't remember your birthday there's no point in avoiding the subject. So, is there anything you want for your birthday?"

"Do you really want me to believe you didn't get me anything yet?"

Deeks can't help it. He kisses her again because her lips are way too tempting. After they pull back, he answers her. "Sure, I bought you something. But I would still like to know what you want."

"Whatever you got me, I'm sure I'll love it."

"How do you know that?"

She sighs and rests her head against his chest. "You know me better than anyone. I trust you. Don't worry about that."

Deeks wraps his arm around her and kisses the top of her head. "Can you still tell me what you want, though?"

After a few seconds of silence, in which he wonders if she's ever going to answer him, she lifts her head and offers him a smirk big enough to rival one of his. "You know damn well what I want."

Deeks knows what she's talking about. He said he didn't want to rush things and, last month, after they went to second-base on his birthday, he told her they still needed to wait before moving things along. It's driving her crazy but, hey, it's driving him crazy too. It's for a good reason, though. They need to build a strong relationship before they move onto a more physical thing. Granted, their relationship is already strong so…well, so far, so good.

He doesn't answer her but tells her it's time to go. They have dinner with their friends (family, really, because this is their family) and go out for some karaoke fun. After all that fun, he takes her home and gives her exactly what she wants, what they've both been craving for months now. And, it's even more magical and mind-blowing than their wildest fantasies.

**AN: Here's June's update. I'm sorry it's so short but this is what I came up with. If you want to know something about next month's chapter, review and I will send you some clues through PM (kind of like a way to tease you all). **

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


	7. July

**July**

There are not many things that are capable of scaring Detective Marty Deeks.

He is, after all, someone who is trained to deal with the most dangerous situations and remain cool about it. However, as his two weeks of vacations start drawing near, he feels nervous and scared at the same time. He's been nursing an idea for a few days now but it might have serious consequences.

It's not every day that he asks Kensi to spend two weeks with him, on a beach somewhere. Yes, because the idea of spending his summer vacations away from the beach (and away from her) is ridiculous.

He knocks on her door and Kensi lets him in, a small smile on her face. Marty pecks her lips and follows her to the kitchen. Once there, he decides to drop the bomb.

"One more week until we get to enjoy our two weeks of summer vacations…"

Much to his surprise, Kensi doesn't seem bothered by this conversation. "I know. Do you have any plans?"

He's not sure if she's pretending she doesn't know where he wants to go with this conversation or if she genuinely doesn't know. Either way, he knows this conversation has the potential to change everything between them. What he doesn't know is if those changes will be good or bad ones. "I was thinking about going to a beach, somewhere. What about you?"

Kensi lets out a small laugh and wraps her arms around his neck. "Deeks, you're as subtle as a volcanic eruption. If you want us to spend the summer together, all you have to do is ask."

His tone is still guarded because she can deliver a well-aimed punch at any time but the soft smile on her face reassures him. "I want us to spend those two weeks together. And you can even pick the destination."

Kensi kisses him passionately before pulling away from him and going back to the making of dinner for them. "You said you wanted to go to Australia. That's fine by me."

He grins and sits on one of the chairs. "Do you know that there are over 1500 species of Australian spiders?"

Kensi turns around sharply, as soon as those words come out of his mouth. He would have never guessed this but, a few months ago, he found out that Kensi is afraid of spiders. That never fails to amuse him. A woman who is not afraid of guns or guys with guns actually screams when faced with a spider. He will never forget the day he arrived at her house and found her staring at a spider in her living room wall, unable to do anything but stare at it.

One way or another, Kensi immediately shakes her head. "Well, maybe not Australia. What do you feel about Brazil?"

He nods but opens his mouth one second later. "You do know that Brazil has the biggest rainforest in the world, right? I'm guessing there are a lot of unwanted animals there…"

Kensi frowns and tries again. "We could always go to Hawaii…"

Deeks shakes his head at that. "You can't seriously tell me you haven't had enough with Hawaii yet. Besides, I was thinking about someplace calmer…"

Kensi gives up. "Why don't you just tell me where you want to go, then? It's pretty obvious that you already have one specific destination in mind and we can go anywhere you want. I don't really care about the place."

Deeks walks to her and wraps his arms around her waist. "I care more about the company than about the destination. But you're right. I do have a place in mind. I will give you a few clues to see if you can guess. The national flower is lavender, it has ten geographic regions, it has 21 rivers, it is in Europe and is home of the largest casino in Europe. Is that enough?"

Kensi shakes her head. "How am I supposed to know those things? Better yet, how do you know those things?"

"It's this thing called Google. It turns out, it's a great way to get information you don't know. I did a bit of research before I came here. I can give you a few more facts to see if you can guess it. I'm enjoying this game. It was the first country in Europe to open a Slave Market and one of the first ones to outlaw the slave trade. Its national rugby team was the first amateur team to qualify for the world cup since the beginning of the professional era. Come on, are you there yet?"

She shakes her head and pulls away from him. "Deeks, that's ridiculous. No one knows that kind of stuff. Can you at least give me a more obvious clue?"

He gives in and gives her the most obvious clue he can think of. "Cristiano Ronaldo, woman…Does that ring a bell?"

Kensi swats him playfully on the shoulder. "You could have started with that one but you just had to show how much useless information you storage in your brain about it. Portugal sounds great, actually. I've never been there, though."

Deeks grins and nods. "Neither have I which will make it so much more fun. We can explore it together. And a friend of mine told me there are great places to surf there so I'll be able to get my fix."

Kensi takes a deep breath and her face turns serious. He knows what's going on through her mind and acts quickly. "Kensi, we are ready for this. There's no need to worry. We are ready to spend two weeks together away from this craziness. Are you scared?"

She smiles and shakes her head. "I'm scared but it has nothing to do with spending two weeks alone with you. That actually sounds pretty great and I know we are more than capable of doing that."

Deeks frowns. "What are you scared of, then?"

"Let's just say that my tolerance to a drink they have called 'Ginjinha' is not very high and I tend to get drunk after only five shots."

Deeks laughs and gathers her in his arms. He can definitely handle that. The only thing he can think about is that he's going to spend two weeks with his girlfriend. It's going to be the best summer ever.

**I know this chapter is slightly unsatisfactory but it was the best I could do. All the facts were found on Google because my knowledge when it comes to useless facts does not extend to facts about countries. I do know, for example, that in New York, throwing a ball against someone's head just for fun is against the law. And 'Ginjinha' is a Portuguese drink that is often served in a chocolate cup and it's delicious.**

**Review if you want to know what will happen in August.**

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


	8. August

**August**

It doesn't come as much of a surprise to him when she states, one day, that she's not as used to the warm weather outside as he is.

Marty Deeks is, after all, a true Californian boy. That title comes with a certain amount of advantages that he's glad to have. For example, after a long day of work, he gets home and doesn't feel the need to turn the air conditioner on as high as it can go.

However, Kensi Blye is not yet used to this and he reckons it can be quite difficult to get used to. So, feeling sympathy for her, he allows her to do whatever she pleases to keep herself cool. As long as she's happy, he's happy.

Of course, that plan quickly backfires on him.

Because, as it turns out, the air conditioner is not the only thing she needs to block the too-hot weather felt outside.

On the first week of the month, he realizes Kensi likes to wear clothes that leave little to his imagination while around the house. They spend most of their time together now so he gets to see all her amazing outfits. She wears a skirt that reaches her knee and a thank top on the first day of the month and starts getting a bit more daring as the time goes by. By day 5, she's wearing one of those shorts that are closer to being considered underwear than outwear and a strapless shirt that doesn't even cover her whole stomach.

Of course, as day 15 rolls around, he finally realizes what's going on.

She's doing it all on purpose. When he realizes that, he's not sure if he should smack himself or get revenge. How did he not notice that sooner?

It's another hot afternoon and they drive to his house after work. She goes straight to the bathroom and he hears what he assumes it's cold water running in the shower. Grinning at her obvious discomfort, Deeks grabs a beer from the fridge and sits comfortably on the couch, only pausing to take his shirt and shoes off.

After ten minutes, she comes out of the bathroom and he almost spills his beer because his sexy girlfriend is walking around in nothing but her underwear and he's sure it's not nearly hot enough for that inside the house.

That's when the magic light bulb finally appears and he connects the dots. She's been trying to see what his limit is.

But two can play this game.

She can keep trying and he will try as hard as he can to restrain himself from grabbing her and having his way with her on the freaking couch. Little did he know at that time that he wouldn't even make it past one hour without doing just that.

Kensi sits on the couch, still in her underwear, and sighs. "It's so hot, today."

Deeks keeps his eyes trained on the television, knowing that looking at her too much might be his downfall. "I didn't notice."

Kensi lets out a laugh and takes a sip out of her own beer. "Right, that's why your shirt is on the floor. Seriously, why can't you just admit that you're hot?"

He smirks, still not looking at her. "I can admit that I'm hot but it has nothing to do with the weather, princess. And why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

Through the corner of his eye, he sees a smirk on her face good enough to rival his own as she answers. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would bother you. Do you want me to put something on?"

Deeks remains as calm as he can and shrugs. "That's your choice. I couldn't care less about it."

And he knows that's the wrong thing to say when she gets up and walks into his bathroom once again, without even looking at him or saying a word. Maybe he pushed his luck a bit too far.

Sighing, he gets up from the couch and walks to the bathroom, to find the door locked.

Yep, he screwed up alright. She never locks the door. He knocks on the door and, when he realizes she's not going to answer, he tries to reason with her through the closed door. "Kensi, what's wrong? I swear, if I said anything wrong, my intention wasn't hurting you. You know that, princess. Come on, open the door so we can talk."

Her voice comes slightly muffled because the door remains closed but he hears her clearly. "Do you really want me to open the door?"

Without event thinking about it, Deeks answers her. "Of course I want to come in. I want to know what I said so I can fix it."

Once again, the door remains locked but she answers him. "Take off your pants first."

Deeks frowns, sensing that he might be walking into yet another one of her traps. However, he doesn't want to risk it. She might be actually upset so he decides to do what she says. "Pants are off. Can I come in, now?"

He hears her unlock the door and takes that as his cue to enter the bathroom. And, as soon as he steps inside, he know for sure that he walked into her trap. The cold water hits him and, even though he closes his eyes, he knows she has the shower-head in her hand to wet him. He hears her laugh and allows a grin to break onto his face.

And, before he knows it, they're both on the bathroom floor, laughing and completely soaked. The shower-head is on one of his hands and he's holding Kensi's arms with the other one to keep her from fighting back. "Say the magic words and you'll be set free, Blye."

Her laughter is contagious and the amount of water they're wasting is the last thing on his mind. "Marty Deeks is the hottest and best boyfriend in the whole Universe."

With that, he turns off the water and lets go of her arms. There's water all over the bathroom floor and they're soaked but they're both laughing as hard as they can. Finally, once she seems to calm down, she sits next to him and rests her head on his shoulder. Deeks, sitting with his back against the wall, wraps his arm around her and kisses her now wet hair.

Kensi is the one who breaks the silence, the smile still on her face. "You're so cute when you think I'm angry at you."

"I have to tell you this, princess. When you told me to take off my pants, I knew you were up to something."

She looks him in the eyes, then. "Then why did you come inside?"

Deeks connects their lips and takes her breath away with his passionate kiss. When he finally pulls back, he looks into her eyes and she sees nothing but honesty in his. "Because I love you."

It's not the first time he says it and it's not the first time she says it but it feels special every single time. Kensi gets up and motions for him to follow her. Deeks gets up and follows her to the living room, where she lays on the couch. Deeks smirks and gets on top of her. "I love you too, Marty."

And, with that, they forget about the heat and the fact that they're drenching the couch with water. None of that matters at the moment.

**Here it is. Month 8 of my bet and I'm still managing to keep my end of it. **

**And, because of recent events, my twin even gave me permission to post August's chapter during September. **

**Here's what happened to me last week, two days before my twin posted the chapters of '40 Days' and 'Pickup Lines Strike Again' (yes, my twin was the one who updated my stories). **

**I was minding my own dam business, on top of my surfboard, when I saw my baby brother running towards the water. I was so distracted with his cuteness that I only noticed the wave that was heading towards me when it was too close. Still, I tried to surf it. However, I got up way too fast and twisted my leg kind of violently. **

**My big brother had to carry me home but I thought it wasn't a big deal, just a small injury. After one hour, the pain got so intense that my brother had to take me to the hospital. As it turns out, I dislocated my kneecap (for the third time). My doctor decided that it was better to perform surgery on me so, a day later (August 5), I had knee surgery. **

**Yes, this is how fun my week was. I got out of the hospital yesterday and I'm currently on bed-rest for the next week (that sucks). It does give me plenty of time to write, though.**

**Anyway, review if you want a preview of next month's chapter.  
>Love,<br>Sarah**


	9. September

**September**

Kensi looks at the clock one more time and sighs. She's never been this nervous about something so simple before. Pacing the room like she's doing is nothing like her. Making a quick decision, she grabs her phone and dials the number of the only person who can calm her down right now.

As soon as he picks up, she starts. "I don't want to do this."

She can almost hear his smirk through the phone when he answers her. "It's a bit late for that, isn't it?"

Deep down, she knows he's right but, in her mind, there's still one way out. "Maybe I can just call them and call the whole thing off…"

Deeks tries to soothe her, using a softer tone than before. "Yes, because that wouldn't make them suspicious…Listen, it's just a team-bonding night. It doesn't strike me as a big deal. Why are you freaking out?"

She's not sure why she's freaking out and it takes her a few seconds to come up with a good answer to his question. "I'm freaking out because said team-bonding night just happens to be in my house, for whatever reason!"

Deeks remains calm and tries to reason with her. "It's in your house because you have the biggest TV and the good popcorns. Remain calm and everything will be okay."

But his words aren't enough yet. "I have a bad feeling about this, Marty. What if they find out about us?"

Her fear is consuming her but she listens to him. "We hid everything that belonged to me. They won't find out."

Why does he have to sound so calm while she's a basket-case? "What if they do?"

Again, that doesn't ruin his coolness. "They won't."

Taking the risk of sounding like a little kid, she asks once again. "But what if they do?"

Deeks sighs but knows he can't just leave her like this, so nervous, without calming her down. "If they do, it's cool. We're adults. It's not like we're doing anything wrong, anyway."

Kensi sits on her couch and starts calming down. "I know…I have no idea why I'm freaking out so much."

A lot less frustrated with her lack of calm now, Deeks answers her. "Listen, calm down. We'll all be there in one hour and you'll see you had nothing to worry about in the first place, princess."

Suddenly, her mood goes from nervous to playful. "Can you keep your hands to yourself all night?"

Deeks laughs, more relaxed now that she is too. "I have this thing called 'self-control'. I'll see you in one hour. On, and wear something that covers you."

She smirks, even though he can't see her. "What happened to your self-control?"

His answer his quick and makes her laugh. "Let's not tempt faith!"

"And by faith you actually mean…"

Again, his answer makes her laugh. "I'm not made of stone, that's what I mean!"

Just to tease him, she throws in one final statement. "I'll see you in one hour. I'll be the one in short shorts and a deep V-neck shirt."

And he doesn't disappoint. "Great, I'll be the one with a pillow over his lap!"

Much calmer now, Kensi starts organizing everything for the team-bonding night. The popcorns are ready for the microwave, the beers are in the fridge, the movies are in front of the TV and everything needed is nearby. Close to two hours later, halfway through the first movie, Callen breaks the silence with a smirk, looking at Kensi and Deeks who are, strategically, sitting on opposite ends of the couch.

"Do you two have something to tell us?"

Kensi frowns. "What do you mean?"

Sam knows what his partner is trying to do and rolls his eyes. Sometimes, Kensi can be really dense. For someone who reads people as well as she does, he will never know how Callen can fool her so well.

So, to save everyone some time, he steps into the discussion to help her out. "Let me save you some time. We know the two of you are dating."

Callen turns to his partner, sharply, and like a little kid who was just denied his favorite toy. "Why must you ruin all my fun?"

Deeks cuts in, knowing that Kensi is too stunned to say anything. "How can you possibly know that?"

Sam answers him. "Kensi showed up with a poorly-covered hickey last week and you, for some reason, smirked every single time you looked at her. That made us connect all the dots but we've been suspicious for a while now."

Callen completes his partner's information with a smirk on his face, directed towards the still-stunned Kensi. "And, for the record, next time you hide everything that belongs to Deeks, check the place twice. I found his boxers in the bathroom."

Deeks asks the million-dollar question, a bit afraid of the answer. "So you guys are not going to threaten me?"

Callen frowns and looks between Kensi and Deeks. "Why would we do that?"

He states the obvious, not sure if Callen is teasing or being serious about his question. "Well, I am dating your little sister…"

Callen smiles and shakes his head. "I'm not going to threaten you. Kensi is a big girl and can take care of herself. Besides, we trust you. Not to mention that you know us well enough to know what would happen to you if you ever hurt her…Warnings are completely unnecessary in this case."

Sam takes a sip off his beer and agrees with his partner. "We're happy for the two of you. The sexual tension was starting to reach an unbearable level a few months ago."

Well, at least that's out of the way now. As it turns out, Kensi had a good reason to be afraid but it all worked out great. The relief they feel is bigger than her nervousness earlier that day. Now, they don't have to keep making excuses of why they arrive together or why they leave together.

**AN: Wow, this month's chapter sucks! I have no idea what happened, guys. I'm sorry. My brother threw another challenge at me (one that you will read about soon) and I think that might have messed up this chapter. I promise you that I will try harder next month.**

**To all of those who asked, I am doing much better now that I'm out of the damn bed. It feels weird to move my leg, though, because there's a piece of metal in my knee that wasn't there before and that's kind of creepy. I'm going to start physical therapy really soon so I'll try to be back on the water, on top of my board, before Halloween (yes, I'm that crazy!).**

**Reviews are love and love makes the world go round (which means that love makes me write as much as I can). Also, reviews will make you earn a small clue about next month's chapter.**

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


	10. October

**October**

Deeks parks his car and turns to Kensi. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The brunette rolls her eyes and gets out of the car, breathing in the late afternoon air with a smile. "That's the fifth time you ask me that…"

Deeks gets out of the car too and starts taking his things out of the back of the car. "Well, forgive me for being a caring boyfriend!"

Kensi gives him a sweet kiss on the cheek and offers him a smile. "I know you care but you don't need to keep asking me that."

He sighs as they start walking, after locking the car. "I just want to be sure you want to do this, Kensi."

She grabs a bag and follows him. "Marty, I'm sure I want to do this with you."

He stops suddenly and turns to her with a serious look on his face. "Are you sure you want to do this for the right reasons?"

Kensi frowns, not being able to be as serious as he is being right now. "What are the right reasons?"

His answer comes quickly, showing her he's not thinking about this now. This has been on his mind for a while. "You have to want to do this for you and not for me."

His concern finally gets to her and she can't help but let out a small laugh. "Oh for God's sake…it's surf, not brain surgery!"

Deeks shakes his head. "See? That's why I keep asking you if you're sure. We're not doing this!"

Deeks puts the board and the towels on the sand and Kensi sits next to him on one of the towels, sensing she offended him somehow. "I thought you wanted me to learn how to surf…"

He turns to her and shakes his head. "I just changed my mind."

She frowns, finally turning serious. "I don't get it…I really thought you wanted to share this with me."

He looks away from her, focusing on the ocean now, with a peaceful look on his face. "You don't understand…"

She rests her head on his shoulder and hugs his arm softly. "Then explain me!"

He frees his arm from her grasp to wrap it around her shoulders and pull her closer. "This is not just a sport to me, Kensi."

She nods because that's one thing she never doubted. "I know how much you love it."

He keeps staring at the ocean, a peaceful look on his face accompanied with a gentle smile, his arm still wrapped around her. "There's more than meets the eye. I just…I know it's not the same for you but I guess I was hoping you'd be a little bit more excited to do this."

The way he's opening up to her makes her heart swell and she's not ready for it to end yet. "Explain me what makes it special for you, then."

Deeks shakes his head and looks at her, the smile not leaving his face. "It won't be the same for you."

She can't help but give him a quick kiss on the lips, not being able to resist him when he looks so sweet. "I know that but I want to get how you feel. I like to know more about you."

Deeks pulls her closer and kisses the top of her head before carrying on. "When I'm surfing, it's like nothing else exists. Sometimes, I spend the entire day thinking about it, wanting to feel that freedom. It's a passion I can't let go of, like a very good drug. Some surfers do it just because it's a good exercise. But that was never a thing for me. I just love the ocean."

That's when a thought hits her and she asks him something she never thought about before. "How long can you spend without surfing?"

Deeks doesn't even have to think about his answer. "My record is 2 weeks and I was going crazy by the end of it."

Kensi snuggles closer to his chest, needing to feel his warmth right now. "I don't have that with anything. I can't even imagine it…"

Deeks sighs and looks her in the eye. "I'll teach you how to surf but you have to do as I tell you without arguing."

She grins and, just like that, their playfulness is back. "Oh, is that worry I see? Deeks, you know I can handle myself."

He smirks and kisses the tip of her nose in a gesture of affection that has become normal for them, something she loves (not that she would ever dare to admit such a thing out loud). "Look at the water and say that again."

And, as soon as she does, she knows where his worry comes from. It's hard for her to imagine anyone getting in the water with waves that big and scary-looking. "Those are pretty big waves…are they always like this here?"

Deeks shrugs, still smirking and fighting the urge to say 'I told you so'. "I told you to learn during the summer. These are winter waves, bigger and stronger than summer waves. Surfers like these waves but it can get tough for a Barney."

She never knew there was a difference between summer waves and winter waves but she's not about to doubt surfer boy's knowledge when it comes to that. Still, she frowns but he understands and clarifies it for her. "A Barney is a beginner, not really an insult. If I wanted to insult you, I would call you a Kook. That means a dork, basically."

Kensi nods and gets up. "Maybe we could go home and learn the lingo before I try the waves."

Deeks laughs and gets up too, grabbing everything and getting ready to leave. "Yeah, that's probably better for now."

As they're walking to the car, curiosity takes over her. "What would you call a girl like me?"

Deeks smirks and answers her. "You're definitely an Emma."

And, later that night, when she finds out that Emma means a really hot surfer girl, she can't bring herself to do anything but smile at him.

It was a good day, even though they didn't surf.

**AN: This month's chapter is coming a bit early because I'm going to be busy next week and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do anything. That's why you get October's chapter a few days before the beginning of the month. Let me know what you think about it and go check my other two stories in progress. **

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


	11. November

**November**

Almost as soon as he opens his eyes, Deeks knows something's not right. Kensi is not lying by his side as usual. In fact, she's not even in the bedroom. One look towards the clock makes him frown. It's only 6 in the morning and she's not in bed. Adding that to it being a Saturday, he knows something's up.

After making sure that she's not in the bathroom, he follows the very faint noise and finds her in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

Kensi looks up and offers him a small smile, not stopping whatever she's doing. "I'm just baking something."

Deeks sits on a chair and yawns. "Kensi, it's 6 in the morning."

She shrugs and adds some more ingredients to the mix. "I know but I woke up and wanted chocolate cake but there was none."

He notices, for the first time, that she's still wearing his shirt and shorts, her pajama. "So you decided to get up and bake one this early?"

Kensi shrugs once again and smiles again but he notices it doesn't reach her eyes. "I couldn't sleep. But you can go back to bed. I don't mind."

That's when it hits him. Taking a quick look towards the calendar, he knows he's right. Getting up, he hugs her from behind, making her stop. "I know what's going on and I hope you know you can talk to me, princess."

She shrugs him off and keeps on mixing the ingredients. "I just need chocolate cake, that's all. Don't duel on it, Marty."

He knows her well enough to know this is her defense so he tries again. "So this has nothing to do with today being your father's birthday?"

She gives up and admits defeat, facing him and showing him how much this is affecting her. "I keep thinking about him…"

Deeks wraps his arms around her and she doesn't pull back this time. "I know, princess. I'm here for whatever you need."

With her face still buried in his chest, her words come out slightly muffled. Still, he hears her. "He would turn 53 today. I know it's ridiculous but I bake a chocolate cake every year on his birthday."

He makes her lift her head and looks into her eyes. "It's not ridiculous. It's your way to cope."

A small smile appears on her face and her eyes glisten with happy memories, no doubt. "He loved chocolate cake."

He smiles along with her and kisses her forehead. "That reminds me of someone I know."

Kensi lets out a small laugh and nods. "Yeah, I take after him on that…"

He nods and pecks her lips before turning serious. "Listen, we can do whatever you want today. I'm all yours."

Kensi takes a deep breath and, somewhat apprehensively, answers him. "I want you to meet him…"

Deeks nods without even thinking about it. "We can do that. Now, can I help you with that cake?"

Kensi pulls back from his arms and they start working side by side. "You can start working on the icing."

And, even though he has no idea of how to do that, they do it together and that's all it takes for her to feel slightly better and even let out a few laughs.

Later that afternoon, they walk towards her father's grave, holding hands. Halfway there, she stops suddenly and seems uncertain about this.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Deeks knows she doesn't want to make him do anything he doesn't want to but he reassures her. "I want to go with you."

She gives him a peck on the lips before they start walking once again. "Thank you for doing this, Marty."

They reach her father's grave and she puts the flowers she brought on top of it. After a few seconds of silence, he squeezes her hand and breaks the quietness. "Do you think he would have liked me?"

Kensi looks him in the eye, a smile on her face. "At first, I'm sure he would have hated you. But you care about and take care of his little girl better than anyone else. He would have loved you, I'm sure of it."

She rests her head on his shoulder and Deeks pulls her closer. "That's good to know."

Kensi sighs and lifts her head. "Does it matter? He's not even alive, anyway…"

Deeks turns her so she is facing him. "Of course it matters. You were his little girl and it's good to know he would have approved our relationship."

Kensi grabs his hand and they start walking towards the car. "My mom likes you so you have that working out for you."

He nods and adds. "Yeah, not to mention your older brothers…"

They walk to the car in silence and he's the one who breaks it once they're inside of it, shielded from the slightly cold wind felt outside. "You have his eyes, don't you?"

Kensi allows a small tear to run down her cheek as she answers him. "Yeah, he used to say that was the only reason why he believed I was his daughter, in a joking manner. And my mom would always answer telling him I was his copy. I couldn't be anyone else's daughter."

Deeks wipes away her tear and kisses every inch of her face he can reach as sweetly as possible, making her smile. "Well, for whatever it's worth, I want him to know I will take care of his little girl for as long as I can."

Kensi gives him a sweet kiss on the lips. "He knows, don't worry."

Deeks starts driving and she rests her head on his shoulder. He gives her a quick kiss on the top of her head before turning his attention back to the road. "Do you want to cuddle on the couch with a good movie, popcorns and a warm fluffy blanket?"

She kisses his cheek and gives him the biggest smile she's capable of showing today. "That sounds great."

And, knowing that she trusted him enough to let him in on a day like this one and that he's the one responsible for making her smile, is more than enough for him to be happy as well.

After all, he can't be happy unless she's happy. That's how love works, as far as he's concerned.

**Just one more month to go. Just one more month before I officially win this bet. Thank you so much for sticking with me for this long and I hope you read the last chapter.  
>By the way, even though I appreciate that one of my readers reminded me that we're already in November, I want you all to know that, even though I'm a bit busy, I still know what month it is. I didn't update earlier because I was busy and because the chapter wasn't done yet. Thank you, anyway.<strong>

**I would love to know what you think about this chapter.**

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


	12. December

**December (Also known as the 'I WIN' month)**

They're sitting on the couch, one night, just relaxing after a long day of work. Because it was a long day of work and they desperately need to relax. And this, being with one another cuddled on the couch with some crappy movie playing, helps them to do so. Deeks is the one who breaks the silence after dropping a sweet kiss on the top of her head.

"So, what do you want for Christmas?"

Kensi frowns and looks at him. "Something tells me that's a tricky question…"

He shakes his head with a silly smile on his face. "Why do you say that?"

She lets out a small laugh and rests her head on his shoulder, cuddling closer to him. "You really want me to believe that you have yet to think about a present when we're just a few days away from Christmas?"

Once again, he shakes his head and pulls her closer. "No, I don't. I've bought it already."

She drops a kiss on his neck and he smiles at her sweet side, the one she only reveals when they're like this. "Then why are you asking me that?"

Deeks shrugs and grabs her hand, giving it a small squeeze. "I want to know if there's something you'd really like…"

The one thing she wants sounds incredibly cheesy, even in her mind, so saying it out loud will take a lot of guts. She voices her thoughts. "I do want something but I don't want to say it out loud. It's going to sound cheesy…"

Deeks smiles and pulls her to his lap, using his left arm to guide her. Kensi straddles him and hides her face on the space between his neck and shoulder, dropping a sweet kiss there that makes him shiver. "I like cheesy you, every once in a while. Come on, let's hear it."

Kensi sighs and lifts her head to look him in the eye. "All I really want is you, this Christmas."

Deeks smiles even brighter and pecks her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her steady. "That's not cheesy. It's sweet. And you already have me."

Kensi leans in and rests her forehead against his. "And what about you? What do you want for Christmas?"

He doesn't miss a beat and, with a smirk, answers her. "Now that you're asking, I want you in my bed wearing nothing but a Santa hat."

Kensi laughs as he maneuvers them so she's lying on the couch and him on top of her, his hips nestled between her spread legs. "That can be arranged."

He turns serious then, and looks at her without moving from his comfortable position. "And there's something else…"

She wraps her legs around his hips and brushes a few strands of hair out of his face, a gesture that his both sweet and intimate due to their current position. "Out with it, Marty."

He breaths in and looks her in the eye. "I want you to move in with me."

There's no mistaking his intentions and she's seen this coming for a while. And she would be lying if she said she hadn't given this a lot of thought. Her decision is already made but he doesn't need to know that.

That's why she pretends she doesn't want to jump with joy with his question, pretends she's not sure of what she wants to do. "I don't know, Marty…"

However, he knows her well. Perhaps too well, even, because he reads her like an open book. But if that's the game she wants to play, he's willing to play along with her to amuse her. "It would be easier…especially given the fact that my present takes some space and it would be better if it were to stay right here."

Kensi frowns. "What exactly are you giving me for Christmas?"

Deeks shakes his head. "That would take the fun away from it. You'll have to wait and see. And that's not the point. Are you capable of saying you wouldn't love to wake up next to my awesome-self every single morning? And don't lie because I know you love it when I wake you up in the morning using my hands…"

She cuts him off. "Marty!"

He laughs and pecks her lips. "I was going to say 'using my hands to give you a massage', you dirty mind!"

Kensi wraps her arms around his neck and pulls his head closer to hers. "I'm a mess."

Deeks looks her in the eye and shrugs. "I like to clean."

One of her hands find his toned abs, beneath his shirt. "I'm not the best cook in the world."

Deeks takes his shirt off. "You make the best desserts I've ever tasted."

Her shirt follows his to the floor. "I'm not a morning person."

He drops a kiss on her chest before answering her. "Neither am I."

Kensi tangles her fingers in his hair because the softness of it is one of her weaknesses. "I have nightmares."

Deeks shrugs and stars trailing kisses down her body until he reaches the waistband of her sweat-pants. "Who doesn't?"

Kensi uses the grip on his hair to give it a small pull, letting him know she wants to look at him. "Are you sure about this? About us, moving in together?"

He nods. "I want to be with you, every chance I get. I want to live with you."

And, a few minutes later, she agrees to do so. Because, in the end, he's right and she wants to spend every minute with him as well.

The cat he offers her as a Christmas present a few days later makes her laugh and the name she picks, Fern, makes him laugh. Monty gets used to the fur ball almost instantly and that's a good thing because, by the time Christmas rolls around, they're already living together.

And life couldn't get much better than that. But it does.

One year later, he proposes and she says yes, with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face.

Two years after they move in together, she gives him a positive pregnancy test for Christmas and he beams like an idiot as he kisses her stomach over and over again.

Three years after that first Christmas together, they laugh as their 6 month-old son looks at the lights in awe.

On the fourth anniversary, they sit on the living room floor, Fern and Monty in front of the fire and their son trying to unwrap as many gifts as possible in record time.

And, looking around, they both know they made the right decision, years ago.

And to think it all started on a cold January, when Hetty made her wear a short dress and he drove her to his house for a warm bath afterwards…

**The End**

**Thank you so much for sticking with me for so long…God, I can't believe it's almost been a whole year since I've started this story. It's crazy. It was a crazy year but I've managed to win the bet and have some fun with it. This story won't have a sequel because I think that wouldn't make sense. It was a year in their life and that's it. That's why it's called 'A Year' but I do have a new challenge. It's not a bet this time (because my twin is afraid to lose) but I'm going to start working on it and it will, hopefully, be posted on the second week of January.**

**Again, I can't thank you enough for all the support, all the reminders of and all your love. I'm not sure if I deserve that much but you were all simply amazing. I hope to see you all again on my other stories.**

**So, what do you say? One last review for this story?**

**Love,  
>Sarah<strong>


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